News and blog

Update for Saturday, October 13th

As I have been saying over the past two weeks, we really are in the peak of apple season.  Its a time of year that I love- for the eating apples, the cooking apples, and the cider.  Leave it to Miriam Rubin from the Post-Gazette to write a timely article on apples with some great PG-tested recipes.  Check it out.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/food/time-is-ripe-for-tasty-applie-pies-tarts-and-more-656995/

Thanks Miriam!  I'm not much of a baker, but I plan to try the Simple Apple Nut Cake recipe.

So please make the East Liberty Coop Farmers Market your headquarters for all things apple.  Kistaco Farm specializes in apples.  They grow many varieties of apples on their Armstrong County farm.  This time of year they have 10 to 12 varitieties on hand, plus their fresh cider.  Greenawalt's get their apples from Amish farmers in Somerset County.  They have 4 or 5 varieties, including some huge Honeycrisps- which are my latest favorite eating apple.  

Prices are very reasonable, especially when you buy in bulk.  So buy a large quantity and share them with friends and neighbors.  I'm a hero when I take a large box into work and share them my co-workers.

See you at the market!

David Lagnese

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The Update 

Greenawalt Farm

Kew Park Coffee Bar

As mentioned last week, we will have fresh roasted beans that are roasted in the neighborhood by Commonplace Coffee.  In the juice department we have fresh made grape juice that was made with Erie County Concords.  We will only have Concord Grape juice for two more weeks and then its gone for the year.

To learn more about Commonplace Coffee, check out their website:  http://www.commonplacecoffee.com

California Connection

The organic dried fruit has arrived from Van Dyke Organic Farm in Gilroy, California.  People seemed very happy to have it back since we ran out of last year's crop a few months ago.  Selections include:

Apricots
Nectarines
Pears
Plums
Persimmons

The Greek Gourmet- will have homemade spinach and meat pies at the market each week- in addition to 20+ flavors of hummus.  Stop by and talk to Jack at the booth.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Please visit the market's website for information on the market and all the vendors.  You can sign up for a weekly email update.
 

http://www.farmersmarketcooperativeofeastliberty.com/

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The Farmers' Market Cooperative of East Liberty is located at 344 North Sheridan Ave., adjacent to the Home Depot parking lot.  The market operates year round- and is open from 5 AM until 12 noon every Saturday of the year.

Update for Saturday, October 6th

Its hard to believe that October is here and that we are officially into fall.   It makes me sad to think about the items that are gone, but happy about the new fall items coming on to the market.  For example, I am told that canning tomatoes are now done.  Corn is on its last week or so, so get it while you can.  Eggplants are also almost done.  At the same time squash and apples are pouring into the market.  Concord grapes are still available for another week or so.  The apple cider is flowing.

We had a great crowd at the market last week and hope the momentum will continue.  Its a great time of year to come and support your local farmers.  There is a lot of new information in the update so please try to give it all a read.

David Lagnese

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The Update 

Kew Park Coffee
Its been a while since I have provided a detailed update on the Coffee.  As many of you know, we import our coffee beans directly from a small farm in Jamaica.  Its from the Kew Park Coffee Estate in Westmoreland Jamaica.  The farm is owned and operated by Peter Williams and Gina Green.  After a long application process, we were able to get licensed tp import the unroasted "green" beans.   Our first shipment of beans arrived a few months ago.  We have been searching for a local roaster and are finally in a position to provide an update.

We will be working with Commonplace Coffee Roasters.  Commonplace is owned by TJ Fairchild and his family.  He orginally established his business in Indiana PA, where he also has a retail shop on the college campus.  Commonplace has been making plans to move the roastery to Pittsburgh.  This past Monday they opened the new roastery, and I am happy to report that it is located right in our neighborhood!  They are moving into the new East End Brewing space which is located at 6580 Frankstown Road, only a few blocks from the farmers market.  This new relationship will allow us to roast coffee on a weekly basis and provide very freshly roasted coffee to the community.

To celebrate this milestone, we are planning to have an event at the market in the next few weeks to introduce everyone to TJ and the fols from Commonplace.  We are also trying to organize a coffee roasting demonstration at the roastery.

We are really excited about this relationship and hope that it will take Kew Park Coffee to a new level of exposure in Pittsburgh.  Its also exciting to have a coffee roastery co-located with a brewery, all right in our neighborhood!   More to come on this in next week's update.

To learn more about Commonplace Coffee, check out their website:  http://www.commonplacecoffee.com

Greenawalt Farm

Kew Park Coffee Bar

As mentioned above we will have fresh roasted beans and brewed coffee that was roasted by Commonplace Coffee.  In the juice delpartment we have fresh made grape juice that was made with Erie County Concords.  Its only available for a few weeks so get it while you can.

California Connection

We have been waiting for our shipment of dried fruit from Van Dyke Organic Farm in Gilroy, California.  I am happy to report that it has finaly arroved and we will have it at the market on Saturday.  Selections include:

Apricots
Nectarines
Pears
Plums
Persimmons

The Greek Gourmet- will have homemade spinach and meat pies at the market each week- in addition to 20+ flavors of hummus.  Stop by and talk to Jack at the booth.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Please visit the market's website for information on the market and all the vendors.  You can sign up for a weekly email update.
 

http://www.farmersmarketcooperativeofeastliberty.com/

*********************************************************

The Farmers' Market Cooperative of East Liberty is located at 344 North Sheridan Ave., adjacent to the Home Depot parking lot.  The market operates year round- and is open from 5 AM until 12 noon every Saturday of the year.

Update for Saturday September 29th

I spoke to all the farmers this week. I expect the offerings to be pretty similar to last week.  I expect more fall itmes like pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn and squash.  Also expect more varities of apples, and apple cider.  Thos may be the last week for canning tomatoes so get them while you can.

We reached a milestone this week when we reached 1,000 people signed up for our weekly email update. Thanks to eveyone for following events at the market.

Last Friday I joined Brian Greenawalt for his weekly trip into Somerset County Amish Country.  I got lucky on the weather as it was a glorious warm and sunny fall day.  We started at a prodcue auction and hit about 10.  I was really impressed by the farms that I saw and the people that I met.  I am still working on summarizing my notes.

Please come to the market and support your local farmers.

David Lagnese

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The Update 

Greenawalt Farm

Kew Park Coffee Bar, California Olive Oil Connection & PA Made Cheese

We have a few updates for this week.  New arrivals include:

• Fresh roasted medium and dark roast Kew Park Coffee.
• A new shiment of cheese from Hidden Hills Dairy.
• A new batch of pistachios from Santa Barbara Pistachio Company
• A new batch of olive oil from Stonehouse Olive Oil

We are still waiting for the dried fruit to arrive from Van Dyke Organic Farm in California.  The fruit was shipped yesterday but not sure when it will get here.  

The Greek Gourmet- will have homemade spinach and meat pies at the market each week- in addition to 20+ flavors of hummus.  Stop by and talk to Jack at the booth.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Please visit the market's website for information on the market and all the vendors.  You can sign up for a weekly email update.
 

http://www.farmersmarketcooperativeofeastliberty.com/

*********************************************************

The Farmers' Market Cooperative of East Liberty is located at 344 North Sheridan Ave., adjacent to the Home Depot parking lot.  The market operates year round- and is open from 5 AM until 12 noon every Saturday of the year.

Update for Saturday September 22nd

I spoke to all the farmers this week. I expect the offerings to be pretty similar to last week.  A few more fall fruits and vegetables will show up.  The first batch of cider will be available from Kistaco Farm.

Tomorrow I will be joining Brian Greenawalt for his weekly trip into Somerset County Amish Country.  I plan to spend the whole day with Brian and stop at 10 or 12 farms.  As many of you know, Brian partners with a number of Amish farmers in Somerset County.  He is getting some really excellent items that are only available through the relatonships he has developed with these farmers.  Hopefully I will have a full report to share with you next week.

Canning update- I have been busy canning again this week.  I put up a few dozen quarts of tomatoes.  I got the tomatoes from Kistaco Farm, a 50%/50% mix of romas, and a black tomatoes.  It makes a really nice and colorful jar.  I get about 9 quart jars from 1/2 bushel of tomatoes.  I also got a half bushel of eggplants and made pickled eggplants with those.  It's a lot of work but also fun.  The reward will be in the cold months of winter when I can pull these jars off the shelves and enjoy them.  If you want to talk about canning, please stop by the PA Made Cheese stand on Saturday to talk.  I am certainly not an expert but have learned a few things over the years.

Please come to the market and support your local farmers.

David Lagnese

*****************************************************

The Update 

Greenawalt Farm

Kew Park Coffee Bar, California Olive Oil Connection & PA Made Cheese

We are still waiting for the dried fruit and nuts to arrive from California, but unfortunately they are still not here.  We do have lots of fresh roasted Kew Park Jamaican coffee, and lots of locally made cheeses.  

The Greek Gourmet- will have homemade spinach and meat pies at the market each week- in addition to 20+ flavors of hummus.  Stop by and talk to Jack at the booth.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Please visit the market's website for information on the market and all the vendors.  You can sign up for a weekly email update.
 

http://www.farmersmarketcooperativeofeastliberty.com/

*********************************************************

The Farmers' Market Cooperative of East Liberty is located at 344 North Sheridan Ave., adjacent to the Home Depot parking lot.  The market operates year round- and is open from 5 AM until 12 noon every Saturday of the year.

Update for Saturday September 15th

Hello everyone.  As my of you know I am involved in organizing the Steel City Big Pour- which is the craft beer and food festival that benefits Construction Junction.  The event was last Saturday, so I am breathing a sigh of relief that it was successful.  It is always exhausting, so I am also glad that it's over.  Thanks to all of you who participated.  

I am always anxious this time of year to accomplish as much canning and pickling as possible.  Earlier this week, I was able to put up a half bushel of pickles into a crock that I purchased from Rick Zang.  Yesterday I just finished a batch of whole tomatoes in quart jars that I purchased from Kennedy's.  This time of year, the quality of the vegetables is incredible and the prices are excellent.  So please do yourself a favor and get busy with your canning and pickling!

I would also like to point out that we are just getting into apple season.  As sad as I am about peach season being over, its tempered by the joy of apple season.  Kistaco Farm specializes in apples, and Greenawalt aslo brings in some excellent varieties.  I bought a large basket of Honeycrisp from Kistaco last week and they were excellent.

Please come to the market and support your local farmers.

David Lagnese

*****************************************************

The Update 

Greenawalt Farm

Kew Park Coffee Bar, California Olive Oil Connection & PA Made Cheese

We were out of dark roast last week, but have a newly roasted batch this week.  We also have a fresh shipment of cheese from Riverview Dariy. Finally, I have been communicating with Peter Van Dyke out in Gilroy California.  A fresh batch of 2012 crop dried fruit is on its way.  I ordered apricots, pears, plums, nectarines and persimmons.  It should be here any day.

The Greek Gourmet- will have homemade spinach and meat pies at the market each week- in addition to 20+ flavors of hummus.  Stop by and talk to Jack at the booth.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Please visit the market's website for information on the market and all the vendors.  You can sign up for a weekly email update.
 

http://www.farmersmarketcooperativeofeastliberty.com/

*********************************************************

The Farmers' Market Cooperative of East Liberty is located at 344 North Sheridan Ave., adjacent to the Home Depot parking lot.  The market operates year round- and is open from 5 AM until 12 noon every Saturday of the year.